In the heart of Mumbai,
3,177 trees of 227 species - some around 100 years old; thousands of
birds including rare fruit bats - the flying foxes; and around 1,000
butterflies are on the verge of disappearing from the city.
Located in Rani Bagh Botanical Garden or the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale
Udyan (zoo) in a congested part of the city, these species are being
forced to bid an ecological adieu and make way for the ambitious
development plans of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Rani Bagh, the city's green lung, is in for a so-called makeover at a
whopping cost of Rs 4,335.7 million (US$1=Rs 39). It is widely reported
that the park will be partially closed down to help transform it into a
'world-class zoo'.
Vehemently opposing this
move and to help prevent the ordinary citizens of Mumbai from being
robbed of one of their rare green picnics are a few gutsy women, hailing
from all walks of life and outraged at this callous move by the
authorities. The Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Action Committee
movement is relentlessly trying to reach out to people and the media to
garner interest and awareness against the revamp. They have initiated a
signature campaign over the Internet and within three months got 4,400
signatures (www.saveranibagh.org)
These 50-plus women,
otherwise engaged as doctors, journalists, and teachers, willingly leave
their work behind to escort people around the park to point out what
they would be losing if such a change takes place. Retiree Hutoxi
Arethna takes slow learners on treks and Reene Vyas is a businesswoman
who loves to plant trees. Give her a call to talk about plants and she
lands up at your doorstep with a bunch of saplings! Then there is
Hutokshi Rustomfram, a freelance journalist; Katie Bagli, a teacher;
Neelima Kalgi, a pathologist; and Dr Sheila Tanna, a practicing eye
surgeon - they all go on treks, natural trails and are also volunteers
with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). They are truly committed to
the cause. In fact, Shubhada Nikharge resigned from her post of manager
with Saraswat Bank to devote all her time to the movement.
According to the new plans, the park, which currently has 63 per cent
green cover, will boast a 3-D theatre, auditorium, 100-car parking
space, staff quarters, an aquarium, small zoos housing animals from
countries like South Africa and Australia, and a night safari.
At present, the admission fee for the 53-acre heritage garden is a mere
Rs 5 for adults and Rs 2 for children. Entry is free for students on a
study trip and from municipal schools.
Officials at the BMC, which oversees the maintenance of Rani Bagh, say
that the changes will be made only in the non-green zone of the park and
without trees being harmed. Besides, the heritage structure will also
maintain the status quo. The park is spread over 1,92,529 sq. meters, of
which the animal enclosures occupy 35,000 sq. meters; permanent
structures like the heritage green house, museum and clock tower, occupy
7,250 sq. meters; and the internal roads are spread over 29,000 sq.
meters.
"To make it a world-class zoo, are they going to just upgrade and change
the existing enclosures? That covers only 35,000 sq. meters or 18 per
cent of the entire park. The cost would then amount to a ridiculous Rs
123,714 per sq. meter. Which authority would approve of this - unless
there is a plan for a complete makeover of the entire park?" question
the agitated women.
"On the one hand the authorities refuse to show us the Master Plan of
the proposed change, even though we have applied to see it under the RTI
(Right to Information) Act. They say the plan isn't ready yet. On the
other hand, it is said that the contract has already been signed with a
Thailand-based Malaysian company, HKS Designer and Consultant
International, and the Portico group of USA," Rustomfram reveals.
The botanical garden - established in 1861 - besides being the city's
green lung, acts as a bulwark against pollution and rainwater flooding.
Just 50 meters away is a highly congested road that links south Mumbai
with its suburbs and on which heavy vehicular traffic plies throughout
the day. As a consequence, noise levels are very high. However, the park
provides an instant relief from the pollution and cacophony. Once
inside, the only sounds are those of chirping birds and the swish of the
trees in the breeze. Even the drop in the temperature is quite pleasant
and dramatic.
Thousands of ordinary citizens - nearly 8,000 a day and as many as
30,000 plus on holidays - come and watch the antics of the animals in
the zoo and enjoy the abundant greenery. School-going children from the
neighborhood take a shortcut through the park because "we enjoy looking
at the 'chidiyas' (birds) here. Very often we spot a new bird!"
"Look at these trees," says an animated Nikharge, "This is known as
Krishna's butter cup (Ficus krishnae) as its leaves bend back to form a
cup. Legend has it that Lord Krishna used to scoop butter with the
leaves of this tree. These huge stemmed Baobab (Adansonia digitata) are
supposed to be over 100 years old..." she continues, lovingly showing
off each tree and painstakingly explaining its characteristics.
Interestingly, while none of these dedicated women has ever been a
student of taxonomy - the science of classification - they can identify
the plants, butterflies, birds and animals here. The Rani Bagh
authorities don't have a list of the birds and butterflies visiting the
innumerable trees, but this group of women does. Neither have the
authorities named each tree - only some bear a nameplate. And, at the
entrance of the Bagh, there is no guide map to tell visitors where to
find a particular tree. But ask these women and they will guide you with
ease.
"Oh! That is a Blue bottle butterfly and she is trying to lay eggs!"
explains Bagli, pointing to a lovely butterfly trying to perch on a
shrub. One can see butterflies such as Grass Demon, Lemon pansy, Plain
Tiger, Psyche, Swift, Banded owl and several others in the park.
The Committee has received support from Bittu Sahgal, Editor, 'Sanctuary
Asia' and member of the Maharashtra Wildlife Advisory Board.
Organizations like the BNHS, WWF-India, National Society of Friends and
Trees and the Conservation Action Trust have expressed their solidarity
to the cause.
Ironically referred to as CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything)
by the municipal authorities, these gutsy women have sought a meeting
with the Central Zoo Authority (an autonomous body that oversees the
functioning of zoos in India), which is expected to pay a visit to the
park in November this year. "We want to explain to the authorities how
this place can become a world-class park-zoo without losing even a
single tree and at one-tenth the expense. They can use the remaining
money to educate poor children or something equally worthwhile," said
Arethna.
"We don't want children to lose their heritage. Neither should the city
lose its fresh air!" say the women emphatically.
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